I just read an awesome blog post by Derek Sivers called “Unlearning” and he says “Nobody knows the future. Anyone who pretends to is full of shit and not to be trusted… I still get asked to talk about the future of the music industry, but I can’t. My answer to everything is, “I don’t know.”

I think Derek is definitely on to something here and I also believe that musicians have the power to create a predictable future in their own music industry.  The musicians that I see succeeding have all taken fate into their own hands – they no longer wait on a record label or some event outside of themselves to “make them successful,” they don’t waste any time looking back and wishing things had not changed – they instead turn up the passion and create with whatever life throws at them.

Here’s what that looks like… Singer/songwriter, Eric Stone spent many years in Nashville sharpening his songwriting skills, networking and doing all the “right” things to get noticed by the music industry. After about 10 years he realized his music success was up to him. So, he started a company called “Boat Songs” and got a gig playing at major boat show, he quickly learned that if he had a CD he could have sold a boatload of them. So, for his next show he recorded a CD called “Songs for Sail” and he not only sold a boatload, but he but also built some amazing relationships with magazines, sailboat charter companies and many folks in his industry.

Eric’s has now released 10 CDs, and has 2 new CDs coming out. Eric has been booked all over the world to play gigs on chartered yachts, sailboats and on islands from Tahiti to Australia and to the Virgin Islands. He also just finished recording a pilot for new TV show called, “Santa Barbara Rhythm & Rhymes”. (It’s similar to VH1′s Storytellers).

Eric’s first CD has sold over 100,000 copies since its release in 1999 making it certified Gold. This was no simple feat considering as an independent release and had no major label distribution. His CD’s are sold in over 300 stores and marinas. http://www.boatsongs.com/

What Eric did was take a stand for himself and his music and he got very clear on who he wanted to serve with his music. This goes way beyond a “Niche” market. Eric skipped the “music industry” and created his own music industry. He stopped selling music and started selling a dream… escaping reality and enjoying life on island time. He started sharing his passion for sailing, scuba diving, vacation dreams with people who were passionate about those things as well.

I’m not saying you have to find a niche, just dig a little deeper into the passion of your music. What drives you to create music? What message do you want to share? What feeling or experience are your fans seeking? Sell that.

If you were to ask me about the future of the music industry, I would say that I cannot predict the future. However I do predict that the future music industry will be created by musicians that are willing to create their own fate. Are you willing to forget what worked in the past, get real with the present and turn up the passion and boldly take action to make your music career happen?

If you really are serious about creating your success, here’s 2 days that will transform your music career. Tom Jackson is truly one of my super heroes when it comes to music career success creation. He is offering a 2 day Bootcamp  October 23-24, 2009 that will rock your music career, and, he’s offering early bird pricing of only $279 and 50% off for additional band mates if booked by Sept. 8^th. (Tom is $2,500 a day to work with him, and if you’ve seen him in action, you know he is well worth it.) The power of a great coach cannot be understated – it’s what has transformed my businesses. Tom is one of those great coaches and I am working to clear my calendar so that I can attend. Please email me Julie @ GetMusicSuccess.com if you are considering going, I’d be happy to talk with you about the power of this day and if it’s a good move for you music career or not. Maybe we can meet in Nashville!

 Here’s more details… 
Bootcamp – 2 Day Live Event
    Your path to success begins at this Live Event!

Date: Friday & Saturday, October 23 & 24, 2009, 10 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Location: 2602 Sound Stage – Nashville, TN

At this Bootcamp, discover the secrets these successful artists have learned from Tom Jackson’s Live Music Methods: Taylor Swift, Jars of Clay, Jordin Sparks, James Bryan, Casting Crowns, Francesca Battistelli, Gloriana, and many of the acts you admire!

While most artists make the mistake of starting with the recording studio, successful artists know they must define themselves through their live performance first. If you believe you have the talent; Tom’s Methods will bring it out.

Imagine 2 full days of classes, hands-on demonstrations, and instruction in Live Music Methods that will make you absolutely memorable! You’ll be inspired, and ideas will begin to flow on how to apply these techniques to YOUR success.

Take command of the stage and your music career, register today!

Anyway, I got curious about this Charlie kid and started to read his blog, and I found a killer post titled “Blue Print for Musicians” and I thought I would share it with ya’ll! It’s got some pretty interesting ideas such as…

“Three months after that, I’d offer a unique recording of my most popular song to the first ten people who paid $100.  Then I’d make a raw recording of that song ten different times, interjecting the fan’s name into the middle of their song to show that it’s truly unique and belonged to them.  It’s easy to imagine how all ten people would play those songs over and over — for themselves and for their friends.  They would value their recording immensely because they paid a good amount for something so unique.”

What I loved about Charlie’s post is the new possibilities that he opens up even though he is not a musician. It really made me wonder what opportunities I’ve missed simply because they were beyond my imagination. If you read his post, make some comments and let me know what you think.

P.S. I have been invited to do a radio interview on Friday, August 28th called “The Soulful Entrepreneur” with Elese Coit’s “A New Way to Handle Absolutely Everything” show CLICK HERE if you would like more details.

Awhile back in a voice lesson, my coach said “Give yourself permission to sing!” I was playing it way to safe, not taking any vocal risks and trying to hit every note with the perfect coordination! What was I afraid of? What was holding me back? Well, there was no one holding a gun to my head demanding that I don’t fully sing out. So, the honest answer to both of those questions is “Me,” or more accurately me believing my thoughts… as in that voice in my head saying “Who do you think you are to sing?”

I continue to astonish myself at how much I allow silly little thoughts to run my life! I am leading a mastermind group here in Salt Lake for Steve Chandler’s Club Fearless. Last week’s meeting was all about getting clear about what we want and committing to taking an action to create it. Once the group announced what they intended to create, we asked them how the group could support them.

Well, when it was Jared’s turn, he said he wanted to hike a mountain over the weekend. I could see on his paper that he had already written his list of what to pack for his hike. And so I asked him what he needed so he could go, a sleeping bag, a flash light or some granola? He said “no” and so I said, you need permission? I asked for his bosses name and then grabbed a pen and paper and wrote the following…

Dear (Boss)

Jared is excused from work for a 3 day weekend. He has a mandatory meeting on the mountain.

Officially,

Julie Blake

Of course Jared realized that he had not given himself permission. This was very freeing as Jared realized that what was missing from his life was more of what really made it feel alive! Like hiking and snowboarding, so he committed to adding more of that! What’s powerful is when we realize is that there is no one stopping us but ourselves.

 A few days after the meeting, I realized that my belief that “I have to work really hard to deserve money” was running my life! I could clearly see in my life how I had not given myself permission to do what I truly loved to do (and nothing but what I love to do), which is coaching! Once I gave myself permission, I saw how simple it was for me to only do what I loved! Seriously, within 2 days I found the perfect people for my team that I could hire for the other parts of my projects that I don’t love doing – it’s like they magically flew into my life!

What are you waiting for?

 What thoughts are keeping you from living your dream?

Are you waiting for permission to sing or succeed?

What do you want?

What are you willing to do to get it?

What’s the next step? Take it.

Here’s what Jared did…

“Today I was fearless and followed my inner urge to get up in front of 100+ people today and share my experience about how what I thought a negative situation was actually what I was waiting for to get me out of the rut I was in.

My class reunion was yesterday and I went in fearless and talked to as many people as I could. I am determined to be fearless in everything desire to accomplish.
 
I WILL be hiking that mountain next week and will be taking pictures and will even bring back some rocks to share with everyone to symbolize us conquering our fears.
 
 Thanks
 
 ~Jared”

What’s your next step? Take it!

Live and Play with Passion!

~Julie

P.S.  I have 2 spots left for new coaching clients in August. I coach solo-preneurs such as artists, authors, speakers, coaches and consultants. My coaching involves owning your value, fearlessly charging what you are worth and creating the courage to ASK for what you want. If you would like to find out more visit http://www.gotcourage.com/coaching/ and if this sounds like something you are interested in, shoot me an email Julie @ GotCourage.com or Juile @ GetMusicSuccess.com – I’d love to hear from you!

P.S.S. If you have kids, I just made a little video called “How to Get Your Kids to Wear a Seatbelt – 3 Somewhat Clever Strategies” hint: the solution involves singing and it really does work like a charm! You can check it out on my Got Courage.com website

http://www.gotcourage.com/blog/

So, which way is it?

First, let’s look at my personal definition of business. Business is very simple. You deliver something of value to someone, and they give you money for it. Money is exchanged for services delivered. Now, let’s explore exactly what it means to create “meaningful music.” Does it mean that my music is meaningful to me or meaningful to my fans? Of course, I prefer that it will be both.

I recently interviewed an artist that is successful at making a full time living with his music. I’ve seen him live, and he is a master entertainer that had the entire audience in absolute hysterics. Although, I will not repeat some of his song titles…. at least not without blushing.

His name is Eric Schwartz, and he travels around the country doing house concerts and other local gigs. His song, “Clinton Got A Blowjob” just won first place in the Comedy/Novelty category of the International Songwriting Competition. This is quite an accomplishment regardless of the category.

Yet, in speaking with Eric (and other successful artists), there always seems to be a restless question lurking in the shadows of their soul… “What’s next?” Eric shared this powerful quote with me…

“No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time.
There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest
that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
~Martha Graham

This quote makes me wonder if I will ever be happy and ponder the difference between being happy vs. being satisfied. For me, happiness is my state of Being – it’s who I choose to be. When I chose to be happy, nothing can take it away from me without my permission. My happiness is not based what I do – it’s grounded in who I am. When who I am Being is happy – the doors of my creativity open and ideas flow in. The funny thing is, when who I am Being is happy, people tend to be drawn to me and they ask me to share my art with them.

For me, happiness is the way… not based on a future goal of achieving something… someday.

Satisfaction is purely based on the outcome of my success and is not meant to last. It’s a fleeting event, a few moments of glory that quickly fade away into the realization that my deepest passions are unleashed in the creation process itself, not the end result. What if I was satisfied all the time? Isn’t that the same as being stuck in a rut? The trouble is… the only difference between a rut and a grave is just a few feet.

Back to Eric, his comedy songs and show create a nice income. Yet, he also has a wonderful collection of songs from his soul. So, if Eric is not making a full time living with his soulful songs, is he selling out? Pimping his music? I’ve given a lot of thought to this, and no one can answer this question other than Eric’s own heart. However, I would like to observe that Eric is simply expressing other aspects of who he is. I don’t know anyone that is “Spiritual” all the time and never funny.

I compare Eric to Alanis Morissette who sings the inspiring “One Hand in my Pocket” then wails out “You Oughta Know!” For me, anytime I pretend to only be one dimensional and try to only show my “good” side, I am being unauthentic to myself and even more so to my fans. Eric is funny as hell, he is a talented actor, he’s highlights his partially bald head and “Attention deficit disorder” in his show. If you ask me, it doesn’t get more authentic than that. However, I believe that Eric’s greatest gift is that he knows the secret… he knows that it’s all about entertaining his audience.

Eric is what I consider a “Pro” and here’s why… He is in reality with his musical, songwriting, vocal, acting, and entertaining abilities. He works with coaches, attends workshops and classes to improve his craft. He knows that earning money with his music is a privilege that he has earned, and not something that he is entitled to. Eric is also in reality with the business side of his music and he knows how to deliver a show that fans value enough to pay money for. You can check out Eric at www.EricSchwartz.com.

So, what exactly is it that fans value more than their money?

I think about it this way, all fans really get from music is a feeling. That’s it! How do fans want to feel? They may want to feel many things… romantic, revengeful with a great break-up song, or just escaping it all. Let’s look a little deeper, what do humans in general crave most? My experience has been that what most people ultimately desire is love, approval, acceptance and appreciation. Successful artists make a conscious choice to make their fans feel appreciated and feel like they are a member of their unique tribe.

Master Live Performance Coach, Tom Jackson says that people go to see live music because they want to experience “Moments.” When I first saw Tom at Bob Baker’s Indie Buzz Bootcamp, I was spellbound by the brilliance and truth he had to offer. I told myself that when I was ready to fully commit to performing live, I would coach with Tom. Tom’s fee is $2,500 for the day, and worth it. But for now, I’m very grateful that he created his All Roads Lead to the Stage DVDs, they are transforming my stage presence and performance.

I work with several coaches that have helped me transform my business, life, vocals, Spirituality and now, I consider Tom’s DVDs my personal Live Performance Coach – they are that powerful. As much as I believed that I should naturally be able to do this, reality showed me that live performance is also a craft to master. What are the chances that an athlete could make it to the Olympics without a coach? I personally believe that the musicians that will succeed in the new music industry, will be the ones that seek coaching to maximize their full potential.

If you are at a point in your career where you are making great tunes, building a fan base and your fans love your music, but your bank account does not reflect this… Tom’s DVDs will show you where the disconnects are and exactly how to get connected with your audience in a way that creates the income you deserve.

Tom is offering a special discount on his All Roads Lead to the Stage DVDs for Get Music Success fans click here for details.

Live and Play with Passion,

~Julie

P.S. I have a big singing performance coming up this fall and I have been watching, studying, applying and practicing The All Roads Lead to the Stage DVDs. Stay tuned for updates about what I learn and how it transforms my performance over the next few months.

      What if there actually are enough hours in the day and there’s no such thing as being “swamped” or “buried” with too many things to do? Have you ever actually seen anyone with their office full of swamp water with alligator’s circling around making sure they cannot escape until their work is done? No? Well, that’s because the only place “swamped” exists is in our minds. It’s just a story we make up.

     Having enough time has nothing to do with the clock… it has everything to do with courage. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. It takes courage to not be busy or swamped.

      Let’s say that you book studio time at $100 bucks an hour – you are in the booth and the engineer starts to record. I don’t know about you, but if I’m paying $100 bucks an hour you’ve got my full attention and focus, I’m not checking email, my phone is off and nothing short of a major emergency is going to distract me. I’m 100% clear about what I want to create and I’m fully present to the task I’m working on. My commitment on all levels makes my studio time “sacred,” meaning that I am fully respecting my time and where I focus my energy.

     What would happen to your productivity if you made all tasks in your music career just as sacred as your studio time?  Instead of leaving your email, phone, facebook, MySpace, Twitter on all day, can you imagine if you batched these activities and only checked them once or twice a day? This is how I manage my social media and I still create meaningful connections, however it only takes 15-20 minutes a day. This can take tremendous courage and discipline… but if you are clear on what you want you get used to this really quick.

     How much time do you spend every day answering emails and on social media… honestly? What if you practiced to create better music for 1-2 hours a day? What is most important to you in your music career? Where do you have it written down and scheduled-in to create what’s most important?

     The Beatles played over 1,200 gigs together before they had any real “success.” Derek Sivers wrote 200 songs, recorded them (playing all instruments himself) before he released his first song.  What are you willing to do to create your music success?

     Studio time is usually very productive because you know exactly what you are “up to” – you know exactly what you are working to create and because you are investing your money – and money commits.  You are working with a very clear and defined purpose. You are saying “Yes” to what you want and “No” to what you don’t want. Sacred Studio Time could possibly be the ultimate time management system for musicians.

Antsy McClain Success Story
www.Unhitched.com

      Why is this man laughing? Well, after interviewing Antsy McClain I believe it’s because he knows the secret of life… so read on because he generously spills the beans… and his insights have the power to transform your music career!

     Antsy knows that the riches are in the niches! He was actually quite clever in his approach – instead of writing music that he loved most and hoping to find an audience to match – he actually began by shaping an act that could be marketable from many different angels. He was raised in a trailer park and so he choose the name Antsy McClain and The Trailer Park Troubadours along with a 70s era trailer park theme.

     The name “Antsy McClain” is his stage name and as an entertainer his act is “being the happy guy that makes you forget about your problems and the real world for awhile.” His followers all feel like they belong to one big family and are referred to as “Flamingoheads.” Antsy says “We are about the sunshine,” and that really sums up his act and what he delivers to his fans. Antsy says, “Do what you do” and he does not attempt to be everything to everybody. His mission is very clear… creating New Good Old Times. Even though he has very strong political views and songs to express them, they will never be released on any of his records or performed live.

Fans vs friends

     Antsy is not a big fan of the word “fans”… he sees his followers and supporters as friends.  And his “take no friend for granted” approach is what creates magic and loyal support. Or in Antsy’s words… “I have been lucky to have some very good teachers along the way who continue to teach me so much, but nothing I have learned in life has been better applied to my career as an entertainer than these words:

     ”Everyone wants to feel special. That makes all the difference.”

     “When I look out into the audience and realize that 500 people stopped what they were doing, put down the TV remote and got off their comfy couch to see me play… they have me at hello. It’s all about interacting person to person, touching their hearts so deeply that it’s like shifting their DNA around -people are changed from my music. How can I give anything less than all I’ve got every time I perform?” Says Antsy.

It ain’t over til’ the last fan leaves

     Antsy credits his success creating loyal and supportive friends from mingling with fans after EACH gig. “You are cutting yourself off from the best stuff by skipping the mingling part – I’ve found the best stories and something extra special from the fan that’s willing to wait it out for a chance to talk with me. It’s a spiritual thang… when someone tells you how your music helped them survive cancer or something like that. Wait until the last fan leaves – you may find the most fulfilling moments of your music career.”

      But what about the stalker’s you ask? Well, Antsy revealed his secret stalker strategy. His secret is to “Keep your friends close and your stalkers even closer… then put your stalkers to work!” Why would a fan stalk you in the first place? Most likely because “Everyone wants to feel special” they want to feel like they are a part of your success – so why not give them what they are seeking? If you give them a job helping you promote your music, they get to feel like they are making a difference and feel appreciated… who wouldn’t want to feel like this?

     Antsy fans have created biz cards on their own and passed them out to promote his music. One fan even made bumper stickers that read “Follow me to Pine View Heights.” He found that fans are honored when you ask them for help and many happily lend a hand. His fans have called radio stations, helped promote an event and even donated money.

      Of course Antsy is the King of Creativity when it comes to asking for donations… on his current CD he offered the chance for his fans to “Adopt a song” with a silent auction and the highest bidder received signed copies, adoption papers and the adoptive parents name appeared in the liner notes of the CD along with a few other special treats.

      He also makes money with irresistible merchandise in theme with his music. One of his hottest sellers are his “I Married Up” and “He Married Up” T-shirts that are themed after his song titled “I Married Up.”

Antsy’s Music Industry Survival Tips…

      There actually was a point when Antsy was so burned out on the whole music industry thang that he started to believe that music was a curse (I know I’ve had moments like this!). About 5-6 years ago, he made a choice that totally transformed his music career… He chose to only work with people he liked and because of their talent and he enjoyed being around – not because of who they were “plugged in” with. This decision changed his music career and he has not looked back.

     Another major stress reducer is that he is focused on Making a living, not a killing. He credits and thanks the late Laura Hopper Ellen for surviving the music industry and sticking with it.

     His ultimate survival tip is to always appreciate and never expect. “Fans go through phases and life happens to them, even hard core fans can fade out for awhile, don‘t put expectations on your fans, welcome them and appreciate them when they stop their life to see you play and when they support you by handing over their hard earned money to you” says Antsy.

Thank you for dropping by Pine View Heights and Enjoy the Ride!

How can CwF + RtB help you make more $$$$$? Click play to find out…

     I am about to reveal to you just one concept and one idea that if put into action has the power to get you more and higher paying gigs.  I learned this from my coach and mentor, Steve Chandler and I have received checks with lots of zeros from being sincerely curious and committed to my potential clients success (even if that meant referring them to someone else).

     Please note in advance, we are not talking about manipulating, we are talking about having authentic conversations and going to great lengths to understand your clients needs.

From Steve Chandler’s eBook How to get Clients…

     “1) First, get really curious

     Before talking to a prospective client, jot down 20 questions you want to ask that person. Visit their website and let your curiosity grow to a fever pitch. Read their blogs. Go deep.

     Because there is no expression of LOVE and services that connects more deeply and intensely than curiosity.

     Curiosity is caring in action…it is proof of your commitment to serve, help and transform. The more authentic curiosity you demonstrate the faster your practice will grow.

     Every sale takes place in the other person’s world, not your own. That’s where the decision is made to hire you and pay the strong fee. Not in your world, but theirs. The only way to really get into their world is to ask continuous genuinely curious questions and follow up questions.”

How does this apply to musicians?

     If you are booking a corporate gig, ask them all about the event… the theme, colors, décor’, who will be attending, how can you make it more fun, number attending, any insider jokes you can weave in, have them describe the ideal outcome of the night… get inside their event.

     If it’s a club or venue, attend the club and get to know the crowd, watch the response to other acts, ask them why they chose the acts they do… you’ll be surprised.

     When I hired bands for radio station events and for corporate events, we selected our bands because we believed they would make our events shine – not because of a flashy website or how cool they appeared. A lot of it boiled down to how professional and easy it was to work/communicate with them. We passed up acts with a huge followings and great music simply because they did not care about our event.

     Steve has generously offered to give you his entire eBook How to Get Clients for free to my Get Music Success fans  (This eBook normally sells for $29.99) so you can experience the perks and the power of being a Club Fearless member – members get this eBook as a powerful perk.

     To download it, CLICK HERE

     This is a huge deal! Snatch it up while you can. And email me with your questions or feedback on how you’ve applied the information. Julie@GetMusicSuccess.com

Are you ready to create the courage to change your music career?

     And if there is one thing I can suggest that will transform your music career, it is becoming a member of Club Fearless. You get 2 audio CD’s a month, a live teleseminar with Steve (clients pay him $10,000 an hour to speak), his personal insights journal and it’s the only way to get his book Shift Your Mind Shift Your World – which is free to members. You get all this for $19/month. 

P.S. I’ve even created a new web page called “Turn Up the Courage” that’s all about how Club Fearless can help you transform your music career… check it out http://www.getmusicsuccess.com/courage.html

     Success at anything happens much faster when you are fearless! And, even more so with music – fans love it when they see you live… completely going all out! They love it so much, they’ll even pay money to experience those fearless moments with you. It’s almost as if they are living the dream right along with you.

     We all have areas where we are fearless. For some it’s on stage, for others it might be fearlessly creating music, or even fearlessly demanding a fair price for their services. It’s not just musicians that have a hard time charging what they are worth and actually asking for money for their services.  It’s in everyone that has not yet learned to value themselves. It’s been a lifetime challenge for me, I call it “Living the lie of not enough.” Ultimately for me, it all boiled down to fear, fear that I was not good enough.”

     Lately, I have been paying close attention to who musicians are being when it comes to actually making money. I’ve noticed that success seems to flow to musicians who have developed and practiced their craft to a point where they are considered “professionals” by their peers. It seems like gigs and opportunities easily flow to them. I observed that they truly know their worth and they have moved beyond the fear of “needing” business. Who they are being is a professional musician that knows the value they deliver.

     I have also noticed some incredibly, insanely talented musicians that have seemingly taken a “Starving artist” oath and are quite resistant to creating wealth. I’ve even tried to hire some of them when I was the Promotions Director at a radio station in New England and as a Producer/Production Manager in Nashville. You’d be absolutely astonished at how difficult it can be to hire a band and give them money when who they are being is a starving artist.

     Even though I have made no attempt to make money with my music, I’ve spent most of my life being a starving artist, which for me meant that ultimately I did not value myself. In fact, I spent 17 years studying, devouring everything from Think and Grow Rich, Wayne Dyer, Zig Ziglar, Metaphysics, The Law of Attraction – Many, many times, I changed what I was doing, but none of them really taught me how to change who I was being.

     After all my studies, workshops, seminars, meditation, and amazing “spiritual” experiences, you would think I would be well equipped to create happiness, wealth and fulfillment. Well, they certainly all helped, but what has actually transformed my life from working to survive to absolutely living my dreams has been the work of my coach, mentor and friend, Steve Chandler because his work gently shifts your mind/who you are being and he shows you how to re-write the starving artist story to a new story that creates whatever you want. Steve’s books and audio CDs are the exact reason I have been able to dramatically increase my income, self love and self worth.

     I just got back from Phoenix where I was in a planning meeting with Steve Chandler (pictured above with his wife Kathy) to help him launch his  Club Fearless World Mastermind. I cannot even begin to tell you what an honor it is to be a founder of Club Fearless. It is my beyond my wildest dreams to be able to serve the world in this capacity.

     If you would like to fine tune any area of your life and learn how to fearlessly charge what you are worth… and stop being the starving artist and start being the wealthy artist – Steve just released a new eBook called “How to Get Clients” that you get for free when you join and it cuts to the chase and is the most powerful book I’ve read on the subject!

      To learn how to rock on regarless of the “economy” – join the club… www.ClubFearless.net

      Thinking TOO BIG is probably the BIGGEST reason that I did NOT succeed and kept creating the same disasters over and over!

     The danger of thinking big is that there is no such thing as “one BIG thing” that makes your dreams happen! Reality…it takes many small steps and learning experiences to make it happen. It does not happen over night! I’ve heard many Big Stars say that their “over night success” took them 10-20 years.

     Thinking big can leave you feeling ungrateful for every small step you accomplish; it puts your happiness in the future, not in the present. It can also overwhelm you so that you don’t focus on the task at hand because your mind is thinking about all the things you have to do and haven’t done yet. This leaves you feeling BAD, not SMART or HAPPY.

     I studied the Law of Attraction, long, long before the movie “The Secret” came out, and I did have some pretty cool success with it. Once I created a “vision board” and I put a picture of a house on a lake and I forgot about and this dream did come true. But only because I forgot about and didn’t focus on it and I didn’t have a story like “When I get this house by water then, I will decide to feel happy and successful.”

     How I interpreted and applied The Law of Attraction lies at the core of many of my self-created disasters – I’ll cover this in much deeper detail  in future writings. But, basically it all boils down to me focusing on getting what  I wanted instead of focusing on giving my gifts.

      The means is the end! Happiness is the way, not the end result. If you are not happy and enjoying the ride, you will not be happy even if you accomplish your goal. All you get is this moment… that’s it! That past is gone and done, and the future does not yet exist. That little task in front of you right now is the most powerful thing you can focus on to create the future you dream of. Get out of the future, get into the moment… into the reality right in front of you.

When you are in your Gratitude Groove you celebrate
every little step you take towards your dream!

      In 2003 when I lived in Springfield, MA I had this brilliant idea to host a talent show called New England Sensation! I was dreaming big and thinking even bigger. I was soooo far out of reality with this! Because I was so focused on all this money I was going to make blah blah blah, I ended up losing thousands of dollars and my stress level was like a level 5 hurricane. I started way too big! 

    Because I was so focused on my dream and my big picture and I was willing to get it at any cost, I had absolutely no joy or happiness along the way. I also ended up ignoring my family, hurting many of my friends and people that tried to help. For several years after, I felt like I was the biggest failure on the planet. I did not even notice or appreciate the 200 people that signed up, or that I was able to get TV, radio and print media, and that my winners got to sing on the main stage at the Big E with a limo ride and the finals actually aired as a TV show on CN8.

     Another example of how thinking too big can block your success is when artists and bands wait to be “discovered” by a major record label or are focused on a big number of fans to make it BIG! Here’s the real deal, when an artist makes it “BIG” what will they do? They will write songs, play music and build a fan base.

     What do artists do that have not yet made it “BIG?” They write songs, play music and build a fan base…unless they are waiting to do that “when” they get “discovered.” This is the same as putting your happiness on hold until you reach your goal. It’s the difference between wishful thinking and actually creating your destiny.

Make Your ACTIONS mirror your GOALS and take
small steps everyday to move towards your dream.

      The Dave Matthews Band did not wait for a major label record deal to give them permission to feel successful. They worked hard to make great music that they were passionate about and played every chance they could/created. They were driven by their love of music! They started by playing for free, then they  charged $5 as then more as the demand grew. Over time they had thousands fans showing up at their gigs.

      For the Dave Matthews Band, it was about the music! They were successful, happy and doing what they loved with or without the record deal! (I do not personally know the Dave Matthews Band, I am basing this from a TV segment and the bio on their website). They were focused on GIVING their fans the experience of FEELING GOOD!

     People/fans  want to feel special, appreciated and like they a part of something really cool. It’s that simple.  Do not put numbers and conditions on your success and happiness. If you put your happiness and success in the future by thinking things like “I’ll be successful when I have 10,000 fans or when I sell a million records” you cannot appreciate the fan right in front of you. This kind of thinking creates poverty stricken starving artists… no matter how much money or fans you have, you will always be poor. Big picture thinking blinds you to seeing the fans and riches right in front of you. Seriously, I cannot tell you how many opportunities I’ve missed because I thought I knew what success should look like.

     I discovered that having a big huge goal or dream was just down right overwhelming and self-defeating because the only place you have power to actually create your dreams is in this moment and it takes many small steps and consistent effort to make something big happen. I’ve found it’s more effective to write down my big dreams and goals and then get out of my imaginary future and back into the present moment as fast I can where I can take action right now to move toward my dream.

     Forget the pressure and hype of New Year’s Resolution… instead make it a practice to “Make every fan feel appreciated and special” count your success by how much give your fans at every performance, how much appreciation your fans feel! On fan at a time… Get in the gratitude groove, it what every fan craves and will pay money for.

What 3 small tasks, if you did them every day would bring you closer to your dream?